Perrysburg Dodgeboy wrote:Bfast is 100% correct, every vehicle used for commerce must stop at weight stations, the driver must hold an appropriate CDL for the vehicle they are operating, carry a valid medical card if needed and meet the minimum Federal insurance requirements.

Don

Fail.
DOT doesn't care so long as the truck is under 10K and the combined is under 26K.
It's not commercial if you do it as a non-profit LLC.
Do it this way, you also don't need any CDL.

I watch it and i think a lot of the stupidity is made for TV. Case in point, on the last episode the Hippy got the bid to haul the bread truck from New York to Florida. What does he show up with, a small car trailer to try and haul an over 8000lb, 20+ft long, and over 8ft wide bread truck. How dumb. They show pictures, give length, width, and weight(estimates) on the page when bidding. I think they do this to make a what would be a very boring show exciting, to me it makes the people look stupid.
After watching this show, would you want someone to move your prized posessions across country?

Been watching it so far, it's not bad. A lot of "made for TV" drama. I'm starting to call BS though. I mean last episode they were all bidding on a 40000 lb. antique caboose. I mean honestly, only one guy has a truck that can tow it so what are the rest of the dummies bidding on? The other thing I find amusing is how they all bid knowing very little. I mean if I want carpet installed in my house which is no big deal, they send someone to look at it before quoting. But these people are quoting jobs hundreds of miles away without seeing anything but one picture and basic info on the item. They have no idea about who's there to help load, is there machinery available or is it on their dime if they need a crane, is the property able to accomodate their truck/trailer i.e. overhead wires, turning radius, is the road paved or muddy. IMHO they leave all of this open ended for the "drama factor".

The caboose episode the driver had to pay a contractor to come on site and cut a section of roof off this old caboose so he could pass under some O/H wires - now why the heck should that $$$$ and time come out of the driver's pocket? If I (or any reasonably intelligent person) were quoting this, wouldn't you send someone to the property to evaluate these types of issues so that your price and time estimate is accurate???

And I find it funny how each driver comments on the other drivers' stupidity regarding decissions they've made and yet the same driver makes similar bone head moves e.g. "oh.........I can't fit that in my trailer" or "oh that car doesn't start/run, how will I push it into my trailer by myself?" or "oh...livestock needs to be fed and watered???" "Really? That means I have to stop and do that"?

On second thought maybe I don't like the show. 1995brave posted just before me so I never saw that post before posting....but it seems I'm not the only one who sees a lot of made for TV BS.

Your buddy that paid $14,000 in fines needs a better lawyer.Maybe the dealer plates on the truck/trailer triggered the stop. If you own the vehicles on your own trailer no reason to stop.Go to a lot of car shows and see how many pull in with 2/4 cars on them.Regular plates,no DOT numbers.No one I have ever talked to has had a problem.

Perrysburg Dodgeboy wrote:Bfast is 100% correct, every vehicle used for commerce must stop at weight stations, the driver must hold an appropriate CDL for the vehicle they are operating, carry a valid medical card if needed and meet the minimum Federal insurance requirements.

Don

Fail.
DOT doesn't care so long as the truck is under 10K and the combined is under 26K.
It's not commercial if you do it as a non-profit LLC.
Do it this way, you also don't need any CDL.

Fail??? You're WRONG, do some research!

Where did you come up with "non-profit LLC"?

Took me 150 hours of research, and 41 phone calls. You obviously did none. You fail.
This works legally, and the Shriners' hospital for needy children will be getting annual checks from my non-profit single-member LLC.

Perrysburg Dodgeboy wrote:Bfast is 100% correct, every vehicle used for commerce must stop at weight stations, the driver must hold an appropriate CDL for the vehicle they are operating, carry a valid medical card if needed and meet the minimum Federal insurance requirements.

Don

Fail.
DOT doesn't care so long as the truck is under 10K and the combined is under 26K.
It's not commercial if you do it as a non-profit LLC.
Do it this way, you also don't need any CDL.

The Federal standard requires States to issue a CDL to drivers according to the following license classifications:

Class A -- Any combination of vehicles with a GCWR of 26,001 or more pounds provided the GVWR of the vehicle(s) being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
Class B -- Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing a vehicle not in excess of 10,000 pounds GVWR.

(a) The rules in subchapter B of this chapter are applicable to all employers, employees, and commercial motor vehicles, which transport property or passengers in interstate commerce.

So go ahead and try and beat them at their game and tell us how it works out for you. Here is a hint, thousands in fine, possible jail time and possible forfeiture of your truck/vehicle.

Drive by an open weigh station hauling any of the above trailers loaded and most likely unloaded and the mean ole weight bear is going to have a nice long talk with you, even using a pick up truck.

I know a buddy was using a F-350 towing a three place car hauler. Had his dealer plates on both the truck and trailer. He was hauling his cars to the auction in Romulus, Mi. He drive by the weigh station just inside the Mich line and it cost him over $14,000 in fines tow/storage fees, and attorneys fees.

So again, go for it and let me know how it works out for you. Fail??? no you failed!

Don

Again, I did 150 hours of research and made 41 phone calls. I'm legal. Just not greedy. You fail, NOT me.

Here is what I want to know........has Americans become so stupid (yes I'm included) that we find this entertaining????Really? Pawn Star's, Gold Rush, Storage Wars, really? What happened to real shows and real movies?

Now I do enjoy Survivor and the one were they go all over the World following clues, I forget the name. If I was in better shape I would try out for them, be afraid my fat ### would be lying on the beach gasping for air! There's a sight that would give the kiddies nightmares!

Perrysburg Dodgeboy wrote:Here is what I want to know........has Americans become so stupid (yes I'm included) that we find this entertaining????Really? Pawn Star's, Gold Rush, Storage Wars, really? What happened to real shows and real movies?

Now I do enjoy Survivor and the one were they go all over the World following clues, I forget the name. If I was in better shape I would try out for them, be afraid my fat ### would be lying on the beach gasping for air! There's a sight that would give the kiddies nightmares!

Don

And I find shows like Survivor and Amazing Race to be fantastically ridiculous... to each his own.

As for the Shipping wars show... I saw in the latest episode the van died on the interstate. Overheated towing enclosed trailer with a big (commercial style) video game inside. Driver babied it a while but she gave up the ghost and he had to temporary lease a Dually Dodge in order to finish the trip.

He might have gotten away with it if it had been an E-450 but that van he was using was just not stout enough for the type of work he demanded of it.

I ride it like I stole it!.......and I just may have.......

I'm on "CB-13", are you?

2004 Fun Mover with a 1998 Road King and a 2002 Sportster tucked in the garage, Dragging a 2002 "RAM Tough" Dodge Dakota Crew Cab. Ohhh what a haul!